Electric switch and cut-out



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet i.

W. HOOHHAUSEN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH AND GUT0UT.

No. 447,826. Patented Mar. 10,1891.

..,...-,: unlllll ,D Suva doc d ww md W tom La m was co., Mora-mum, m'wmmu, 04 c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. HOOHHAUSEN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH AND GUTOUT. No. 447,826. PatentedMar. 10,1891.

*W" mmm w A mewhov 1mm. m/L

v 851 mum? 7,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM IIOOHHAUSEN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH AND CUT-OUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 447,826, dated March 10, 1891,

Application filed March 12,1889. $crial No. 803,012. (llo model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HOCHHAU- SEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Electric Switch and Cut-Out, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric switches designed to control the flow of current to an electric translatingdevicesuch,forinstance, as an electric lamp.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective apparatus in which capacity for the manual and automatic operation of the switch will be combined, thus doing away with two sets of apparatus for securing the two resultsof an automatic protect-ion of the apparatus from injury and of a manual control permitting the current to be turned onto or off from the lamps at will.

The object of my invention is also to provide a manual and automatic switch apparatus suitable for attachment to ceilings or to other indoor apparatus.

My invention consists, among other things, in the combination, with the switch, of a catch and controlling-magnet which releases the switch, a releasing-button projecting from the case and also adapted to act on the catch, and a resetting arm or lever, also outside the case but connected with the switch for resetting thesame, as will be hereinafter described. My invention likewise consists in certain improved combinations and details of c011- struction to be hereinafter more particularly described, and then specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of an apparatus embodying my invention, the cover being removed and the switch shown in position engaged by the catch. Fig. 2 is a plan showing the other position of the switch. Fig. 3 is an elevation and partial section of an apparatus. Figs. t and 5 are perspective views of parts of the mechanism. Fig. 6 is a diagram of electrical connections. A is thebase plate or board supporting the switch and adapted to be secured to the ceiling or other convenient support. To said board are attached metal plates l3 13, having each a clamp-block b, formed in one piece with it and sunl: in the material of the board,

as shown more clearly in Fig. :3, In these blocks are formed openings or sockets, as shown, which are in line with openings D D, entering the board from its edge and adapted to receive the supply-wires, whose ends are received in the blocks 1) and are fastened in place by set-screws G C in the upper surface of the plates B 13. From the plates B rise arms F, preferably cast in one piece with the plates and having at their extremities suitable clamping screws or other devices by which wires entering through a central opening in the cover-plate E may be fastened, thus affording a means whereby an electric lamp or other device may be connected to the supply-wires.

At the opening is asuitablebushing or short section of tubing G, to which maybe fastened a pipe or tube, through which the wires fastened to F may be led. The tube or bushing G, which may also serve for the attachment of the base-block for an incandescent lamp, is secured to or cast in one piece with the arch or cross piece ll of iron, springing at one end from the base-board and at the other from a horizontally-disposed iron angle-piece 1, extending along the side and across one end of the electro-magnet K, which controls the cutout switch in the manner to be presently described. The piece I is fastened to and in magnetic connection with one end of the core of electro-magnet K, so that the magnetism may be carried around. to the armature L, moving in front of the other pole and pivoted in the end of the angle-piece. The object of this arrangement is to increase the magnetic pull upon the armature. The arch or cross piece If and angle-piece l are preferably cast in one piece.

Formed upon or connected with the plates B B are the switch contacts or surfaces m m, which may be connected bya switch-lever M, pivoted in a plate N, secured to the board. A spring 0, secured to the under side of the lever M, slides upon the contacts m m with its free ends to make electrical contact therewith. TV hen the lever is in position to connect the contacts m m, it is obvious that the lamp or other device connected with the arms F, and also the magnet K in circuit between plates B B, will be shunted. A spring P tends to throw the switch into position to cut out or shunt the lamp or other device.

R is acatch adapted to engage with the switch-lever and hold it out of action, or in the position indicated in Fig. l. The catch R is connected to the armature-lever ot' the electro-magnet and is moved by the magnet so as to release the lever whenever the magnet acquires sufficient power to overcome spring d, tending to hold the armature back or in posit-ion to keep the switch-lever locked by the catch. The switch may also be released at pleasure by a button S, which projects beyond the casing and is secured to a stem carrying a button or cam e, that will engage with the catch R and move the same so as release the switch-lever when said button is; operated. Thespindle carrying the cam is guided in. an extension t' from angle-piece I, and a. spring between the button and the said extension tends to hold the lower end of the spindle out of the way of the catch.

The switch-lever may be locked at will by the catch by means of a resetting button, lever, or arm T outside the casing, and connected inside the casing with the switch-lever. For this purpose the arm R projects from a r06 shaft or spindle R mounted on, the cross-barH and carrying within, thecase an arm R connected by a. pin withfa block of insulating material a upon. the switch-lever. The insulation at a insulates the lever M from the setting-a r1n,'l. Suitable stops limit the play of the parts.

are lubricating-buttons designed to hold some lubricating material, such as oil, and. placed in position to be rubbed. by the contact-spring, so that by each movement the spring shall} receive fresh lubrication. These buttons may be blocks or pieces 0t wood or other absorbent or fibrous material. adapted toretain. or hold the oil or lubricant. The purpose of, lubricating the springissubstantially'the sameas in the case of commutators for-dynamov machines and. motors-towit, to prevent grinding of the metal surfaces and toy lessen the oxidization from the action of the atmosphere or the electricspark.

The electro-magnet K is wound with fine wire, soas to be of high resistance, and. its terminals are secured 'to the plates 13-13 by binding-screws or, other devices. connected, it. is obvious that the magnet will be-in, derived circuit to any device connected to the arms F F. The resistance of the magnet, is such that comparatively little current will pass through it.

Vhenan, incandescent lamp or. other translatingdevi'ce-is in electric connection with the supply-wires, by attachment of conductorsv leading through bushing or opening G to the arms F F the circuits will be as rep,- resented inEig. 6, and the operation of the apparatus willbe as follows: To throw current, intothe lamp or. other deviceV, the set ting arm or lever is operated by a, stick or by grasping by they hand where it can be readily reached, so as to throw the switch into position where it .Will be engaged and When so,

held by catch R. In the form of switch here shown the current is caused to flow in the lamp because the shunt formed between contacts m m by the switch is broken; but it will be obvious that other arrangements of contacts and connections might be used for securing the same result. Should the lamp break or its resistance become abnormally high, the magnet will release the switch and the latter will be thrown by its spring and remove the current from the lamp by shunting it. After the lamp is restored, or after normal conditions again exist, the switch may be reset and current turned onto the lamp by the resetting-arm or lever projecting from the cover or casing. The. current may be turned off from thelamp at any time at pleas ure by simply operatingthe releasing-button S, which acts upon the catch R in the samemanner as the magnet and permitsthe spring P to throw the switch-lever.

I do not limit myself to. switches wherein the arrangement of circuits and contacts is such that the circuit is removed from the lamp byproviding a short-circuit path around it, as other arrangements well known in' the art might be employed for cutting out the lamp. or cutting ott' the flow of currenttherefrom without departingfrom the invention.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, with a spring-actuated switch, of a catch and a releasing-magnet, all inclosed in a. suitable case, a releasing-button having a. cam adapted to engage with the edge of the catch, and a resetting arm or lever connected with, the switch, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the baseboard or support A, of a switch-lever mounted. on, a vertical spindle on said support and adapted toswing in a plane parallel to the surface of the board, the plates B B, of conducting material, resting on. the upper surface; of said board and having projecting clamp-blocks sunk beneath thesurface of the board and provided with, sockets in. line with openings. extending inward-from the edge of theboard, and. suitable clamp-screws, as and. for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with the conductingplates BB, mounted on. the switch board or support A. and having clampingescrews for securing the supply-wires, of armsF'F, cast in one piece with said plates and extending. into proximity to an opening in the cover for the switch, and clamping devices on said arms for connection of the wires-leading to the lamp, as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination, with the switch, of a lubricating-button located in position to be rubbedby the contact-surfacesof the switch, as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination, with the switch-levermounted on a. suitable board and havingv an inclosed cover or case,.of an. electrormagnet supported by said board and in a branch around the switch, a spring acting on said lever, a catch carried by the armature of the magnet and engaging with the lever, a button projecting from the case and carrying a cam which may engage with and move the catch, and an arm or lever projecting from the case and connected with said switch-lever,whereby the same may be moved or set in position to be engaged by the catch.

6. The combination, with the electro-magnet mounted in the base-plate with its core parallel to the plane of the plate, of the iron angle-piece for the magnet, the cross-piece or bridge formed in one piece with theanglepiece and rising from the base-plate, and a tube or bushing in said bridge forming a passage for the wires leading to a translating device.

7 The combination, with the base-plate, of the contact carrying-plate B B, fastened to the surface thereof, block I) I), let into the base and having sockets adapted to receive the two circuit-wires, arms F F, rising from the plates and having clamps for attachmentof the lamp-wires, a switch-lever having contacts adapted to complete the circuit between the plates B B, an electro-magnet having an armature which carries a catch for said lever, a releasing-button adapted to engage the ar mature-lever, and a resetting-lever engaging with the switch-lever and mounted on a frame rising from the base, as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination, in an electric switch, of a suitable base plate or board A, metal plates B B, secured thereto and having clampblocks for attachment of contact-Wires, contracts m 072, connected with said plates, a lever M, pivoted on the base-plate and carrying a spring 0, whose ends slide upon said contacts when the lever turns in a plane parallel to the face of the base, a crossbar or yoke H, mounted on the base-plate and carrying a rock shaft or spindle provided at its outer end with a resetting-armor handle and at its inner end with an arm connected to the switch-lever M, a catch-lever, also mounted on the base-plate and adapted to turn in a plane parallel with the base thereof, an armature connected to said lever, an electro-magnet mounted on the base-plate, and a releasing-button for actuating said catch to release the switch, as and for the purpose described.

9. The combination, substantially as described, of a suitable base-plate of insulating material, a switch-lever and a catch, both mounted on said plate and adapted to turn in a plane parallel with the face thereof, an electro-magnet carried by said base-plate and having an iron angle piece or connection I, parallel with the base-plate and connected at its free ends with an armature connected to the catch, an arch or cross piece of iron rising from said angle-piece in a direction at right angles from the base-plate, and a resetting arm or lever secured to a rock shaft or spindle which is mounted in a cross-bar or arch-piece and is connected beneath the same with the switclrlever.

10. The combination, substantially as described, of a base-plate, metal blocks or plates 13 B, carrying clamp-blocks b and having cont acts m, whose contact-faces are parallel with the plane of the base-plate, a switch-lever M, carrying on its under side a spring 0, which slides over the contacts m m, the catch-lever, also mounted on the base-plate, an electro magnet whose armature connects with said catch, a resetting arm or lever mounted on the rock shaft or spindle vertical to the plate and connected with the switch-lever, and a releasing button or spindle mounted on a suitable guide and working at right angles to the base-plate, as and for the purpose described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New XVILLIAM HOCHHAUSEN.

Witnesses:

WM. II. CAPEL, G. W. HOPKINS. 

